The very careful follower, reader, will have noted that I missed Chapter 6 in the last posting. If you check, you will see that I posted Chapter 7, but not Chapter 6?? Below is Chapter 6.
Stan Speaks: Lois never reads these narratives so I can share with you something personal ~ as a young 15 year old, my very first girl friend in the WEST was from Saskatoon ~ Saskatchewan!! Perhaps that is why I like the “ring” of those two words ~ Saskatoon Saskatchewan!! Her name was Valerie!! I digress.
We begin our day in Winnipeg! Who has not heard about the coldest intersection in the world ~ the corner of Portage and Main???? Some may not know, but this intersection is “mile 0″ of THE YELLOWHEAD (TRANS CANADA) HIGHWAY. The Yellow head provides a panorama across the prairies through foothills to the towering Rockies and westward to the Pacific Ocean. Of the 5 passes through the Rockies, the Yellow head Pass is by far the most gentle and that is the primary reason we chose this route. Remember Chapter 4, where we talked about the spat between the Hudson Bay Co and The North West Company ~ the Yellow head was used then and it is used to-day. It got its name from an Iroquois-Metis trapper called Tete Jaune Cache. Most will immediately recognize that “Tete Jaune” (in the other official language) is “yellow head”. It seems that our famous trapper and voyageur had blonde-streaked hair. For the few who have not driven this route, it is marked by a “yellow head” on the sign posts. Typical Stan; more history than scenery!
What does one report on the prairies?? The harvest was in its final stages; the streets in Western towns are very wide ~ and indeed we pulled off and explored two or three; in Manitoba the men wear “caps”, in Saskatchewan half wear “caps”, the other half cowboy hats and of course in Alberta they all wear cowboy hats!! I’m teasing of course. I am sure that for those who grew up on the Prairie, a return brings back many fond and wonderful memories. Although I did not grow up in the prairies, we made our home in Alberta for 3 years and Manitoba for 2. And for the record I happen to believe that Saskatoon is one of the more attractive cities in Canada!!
Return to the highway: It is the best. Most of the Yellow head is 4 lane, lightly travelled and with speed limits unknown in Ontario ~ varies from as low as 90 up to 110.(km of course.) Did we make Saskatoon by nightfall? Yes we did. I had promised Lois dinner in the Besborough hotel ~ (Westerners will understand)~~however; we settled for a fine dinner in the Husky gas station!!
Rather than find an RV Site for the night, we settled in at the Husky–right along with the Semi-trailers!! Come on guys ~ support me, she did not have to make dinner–I said we ate at the Husky!!
Stan 2003 09 24.